Utopia PR

First of all I want to thank NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in advance in exchange for a honest review.

Quite a few years ago I was on a trip to Florida with my family and we picked up Little Green Men by Christopher Buckley, it was a hilarious political satire book and until I listened to Utopia PR by Adam Bender I had not seen or maybe I should say heard its equal. Utopia PR is hilarious and fascinating, it does a good job of both satirizing and skewering politics and PR men and women. If you enjoy political satire at all you should grab this book, its really entertaining. Even if you have not read any political satire and just enjoy a good story and maybe a little dark humor then this book will tickle your fancy as it did mine. It reminded me a lot of Christopher Moore's books as well in just how well written it was.

I am definitely going to be looking into Adam Bender and the other books he has written after reading this. I never do spoilers in any reviews I do so what I am about to say about it is pretty much right at the start of the book. The main character is a PR guy working for a over the top crazy president of the United States who walks himself into quite a few PR problems. The solutions he and his team come up with are both a cynical look at public relations strategies and a great over the top satire of them.

#netgalley #satire #humor

Relevant, crazy and so easy to believe is based on truth...

A power-mad President (famous for being a reality TV star). Regular insane statements and crises that require spin doctors and distraction. No, this isn't the international news. This is fiction. Supposedly.

Very funny near-dystopic fiction. With the PR guy as its empathetic star. But he's a 'Crisis Communications Manager', a full-time job under this President, affectionately (or chillingly) termed 'Our Leader' by the American populace. And Blake Hamner (with a silent 'n') has neglected his honeymoon for three years to concentrate on his career and his daily struggles to keep the Administration out of political trouble.

Which isn't easy with Our Leader asking for drugged-up milk to be given to the entire country. Or the fact that Blake's wife is a news anchor on national television.

With both hilarious and horrifying constant crises to manage, Blake gives away the tips of his trade to the reader (faking a nuclear strike, announcing a marriage) while juggling the relationship he's desperate to keep. He and Maria make a witty and loveable couple, I adored their spin games and way of speaking to each other, Maria herself would make for a great narrator and protagonist.

Blake's rise to the top makes him an Everyman to us, he's skilled and worked hard, and his morals working for Our Leader may be 'grey area' but his heart is in the right place, and he's 'just doing his job' of course...

This is madcap, satirical quirkiness at its best. It's scary 'cos it could actually be based on fact. It's funny 'cos it isn't. I think.

Loved the audio version, it's short and I wished it was much longer, though it ended neatly and I would heartily recommend it.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

Hilarious -

and a little bit scary if you think about it.

I listened to the audiobook and I had a great time! The story is so simple and ridiculous that it almost could be true. I was aware that governments most of the time are trying to switch our attention to different problem in order to deflect it from actual problem, this book just showed me how easy it could/can be done. I am not saying that this book is based on a true story but hey, it makes you think, and it does it in a wonderful way - through the laugh. Half jokingly, half seriously the author created a very entertaining picture of near future.

I think that everyone can enjoy this book, there is a lot in there - humor, work life balance, work ethics, relationship - everyone will be able to empathise on some level. It was so good that I can't wait to jump into other stories written by the author. Just give it a try, if you dont like it you can complain about it in a comment section.

If I lived in a different world than I see today, I wouldn't think this story was possible. But, PR and Politicians these days, well what can we say,. This is a fast paced, action, humorous, dystopian take on what PR seems to be about about, and it isn't the truth. The Hamner (silent N) had been at the top of his game looking after The Leader election. Any hare brain possibility is used to try and manipulate the general population. Now disaster after crisis after catastrophe needs public opinion to be deflected. But Hamner seems to be losing his mo-jo and is evaluating his work life balance, and future with his news reporter wife. This is a brilliant well written humorous story, and well worth reading. Thank you to Adam Bender and NetGalley for sending me an audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

While listening to this audiobook, I could easily see it as a made-for-Netflix movie or limited series. I loved the banter between characters and the dry humor. I think it would play out nicely on screen.

The audiobook narrator was engaging and fun to listen to.

This speculative fiction was a little too close to home, as there were seemingly quite a few parallels to a previous American president...but all in all, an entertaining read/listen.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Funny and smart fiction. This is laugh out loud funny writing and touches on timely themes. Recommend!

Comedy dystopia is not something I’d normally be drawn to, but this book caught my interest and I’m glad I gave it a go. A short read (or listen ) but thoroughly enjoyable for something a little different. A really engaging and funny read that gets you thinking. Will definitely be an author I will look to read more from, and maybe a new found genre to explore too.